Changgeng was silent for a while. His expression was a little gloomy. Intentionally or unintentionally, he rubbed the slightly protruding knuckles on the back of Gu Yun's hand back and forth. Then he sighed, "I can't deal with this. People can't prove their own origins."
What's more, he had never acknowledged his own identity since he was young, even when he became the powerful Prince Yan.
Changgeng felt that he could hold up the world, but he couldn't tell who his parents were. At this point, he had Gu Yun, so he didn't want to investigate the ins and outs of his origin.
Unfortunately, he didn't want to investigate, but it didn't mean that others would let him go.
Chen Qing Xu helped him stop the bleeding and quickly bandaged Chang Geng's wound. She also prescribed him some medicine to calm his nerves and heart. She didn't interrupt, nor did she show any emotion, but her heart was suddenly filled with an indescribable grief and indignation.
Because of Wu Ergu, Chen Qingxu opposed giving the Linyuan wooden tablet to Yan Wang. Unfortunately, it was useless for her to oppose it alone. So, for a long time, she could only do her best to look after Changgeng. At the same time, she took in all his deeds. From the restoration of the capital to the present, Yan Wang rebuilt the damaged imperial court bit by bit. He ran around everywhere, even fell into a rebellion and almost died in it. He didn't hesitate to touch the interests that no one dared to touch. For this reason, he shouldered the spears and arrows of the entire imperial court alone.
Could it be that these unparalleled achievements of a thousand years could be written off with just a few vague words of origin?
Even if he really wasn't the son of the former Emperor, did it mean that the Fire Beacon Ticket, the Canal Office, and even the hundreds of thousands of refugees living and working in peace and contentment in Jiangbei didn't exist?
Chen Qingxu had been in Jianghu for many years, so she wasn't naive. She knew the truth very well. But occasionally, there would be a moment when she would be shocked by the way of the world and the people's hearts.
"By the way, Miss Chen." Changgeng's voice pulled her attention back.
Chen Qingxu blinked, "What?"
Changgeng, "If the Emperor asks, I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you to help me cover it up."
Chen Qingxu quickly calmed himself down and nodded.
Gu Yun pinched the bridge of her nose and stood up, "Alright, you can discuss it. I was so angry with you just now that I can't stay here for long. I have to go and take a look."
Changgeng replied with an "oh" and reluctantly let go of his hand. He looked at Gu Yun eagerly. Once he caught Gu Yun's gaze, he immediately seized the opportunity and generously offered a bright and fawning smile.
Gu Yun did not buy it at first. She said expressionlessly, "What are you laughing at?"
Changgeng's smile did not fade as he continued to cast it at him. If he had a tail, it would probably have been shaved bald. After a while, Gu Yun finally could not keep a straight face. She reached out and patted his forehead helplessly. She laughed and scolded, "Bastard."
Only then did she leave behind the youthful Yan Wang and the emaciated Miss Chen.
Beidaying, who was temporarily transferred to the capital, caught all the barbarians and separated them into prison to await trial. In the middle of this, there was a stealthy eunuch who wanted to take advantage of the chaos to leave the palace. He was caught by the patrolling Imperial Guards. Chen Qingxu's medicine boy effortlessly pointed out that this eunuch was the one who gave a fake imperial edict to lure Yan Wang into the palace banquet.
That eunuch was just a small errand boy. Before the trial began, he was already frightened to the point of collapse. He bluntly shouted, "His Majesty … His Majesty is wise. Everyone is wise. This servant did not give a fake imperial edict. This servant did pass on His Majesty's verbal edict in full detail. It was His Royal Highness Yan Wang himself who wanted to enter the palace to meet His Majesty …"
Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Chong waved his hand to summon Doctor Chen's medicine boy. Although the medicine boy was not old, he was already very characteristic of the Chen family. Seeing so many important people, he was not flustered at all. He also had the ability to remember everything. He repeated the conversation between the eunuch and Yan Wang without missing a word.
How could a group of people not understand the logic?
Before Li Feng could get angry, Fang Qin was already unable to restrain his anger. He took the lead and questioned the eunuch, "Who instructed you to say this?"
That eunuch was also somewhat quick-witted. He immediately avoided the important and dwell on the trivial. He replied, "It was Imperial Uncle Wang! Imperial Uncle Wang often instructs us servants on how to serve His Majesty. Imperial Uncle Wang said … said … at this time, since His Majesty asked about His Majesty, it meant that he wanted to summon His Majesty into the palace. He told this servant to be clever and pass on the message to … "
Li Feng turned the thumb ring on his hand and sneered, "Zhen really doesn't know what he meant."
Wang Bao knelt down with a "putong" sound. When he couldn't find the old imperial physician, he knew that he had been thrown out by Fang Qin. Fang Qin was a person who looked kind on the outside but was ruthless on the inside. He didn't care about friendship or morality. He would turn hostile as soon as he said so. He should have known earlier that the one surnamed Fang and that Lü Chang were so close that they could wear a pair of pants. Wasn't he also betraying and stabbing Lü Chang when he said so?
That eunuch cried out for injustice, but before he could say anything, he was pulled to the side. Fang Qin said, "His Majesty, Official Wang is the imperial uncle of the current dynasty. This subject absolutely does not believe that he would collude with a foreign country. I ask that His Majesty investigate this matter thoroughly. You must prove the imperial uncle's innocence."
Wang Bao, "…"
Wang Guojiu's words of "injustice" were all blocked back by Fang Qin's words. He originally wanted to shout out his grievances and gamble that the Emperor still had feelings for him, his uncle, or that the Emperor didn't want to kill this old official and would be lenient and let him go.
If this matter was taken seriously, it would be a crime of falsifying an imperial edict and deceiving the Emperor Long An. However, if the Emperor didn't want to pursue this matter, then it could be said that Imperial Uncle Wang was old and muddle-headed. He misheard the imperial edict and talked too much, causing a misunderstanding.
However, Fang Qin was too vicious. Once he spoke, Li Feng couldn't protect Wang Bao even if he wanted to. That would mean admitting that there was a problem with the imperial uncle. If Wang Bao was indeed innocent, then he would welcome a "thorough investigation". The problem was that he wasn't innocent at all!
Would the barbarians help him hide it? Would the etiquette ceremony, which didn't have time to transfer, help him hide it? Would the traitorous eunuchs help him hide it?
Wang Bao immediately made up his mind. For now, he couldn't think of any other way except to make the water more and more muddy.
"This old subject deserves ten thousand deaths," Wang Bao said loudly, "At that time, I was eager to see Yan Wang and did distort Your Majesty's meaning."
Li Feng narrowed his eyes slightly, "I didn't know when Yan Wang became a treasure. Usually, we see each other frequently in the court, and I don't see Imperial Uncle being so warm to him. Why did he ask for leave for two days? Is Imperial Uncle still lovesick?"
It's a long story, but there's an inside story. A few days ago, I visited Fang Daren's courtyard. I was drunk and lost my way in the garden. I accidentally saw a person. At that time, I only felt that he looked familiar. Later, I remembered that I had seen this person in my early years. At that time, even you were still young. He was the most popular imperial physician in the Imperial Academy of Medicine. He had a close relationship with the Northern Barbarian Imperial Noble Consort. Later, he was implicated because of the disappearance of the Northern Barbarian Imperial Consort.
Fang Qin sneered in his heart, but pretended to be confused and said, "What does Imperial Uncle Wang mean? Are you saying that this official's courtyard is harboring a criminal? Your Majesty, this is clearly nonsense! "
Li Feng looked at them coldly.
Wang Bao turned a deaf ear and continued, "At that time, this subject was just surprised. After talking with him, I learned that the old imperial physician had asked Master Fang for help because his son was involved in a lawsuit."
Fang Qin said, "Nonsense, how could I bend the law for personal gain!"
Wang Bao sneered and said, "Master Fang was naturally unmoved. However, the old imperial physician used the secret that Barbarian Princess Xiu was pregnant when she left the palace as an exchange. Who knows! This subject knows that with Master Fang's quick-wittedness, the old imperial physician and his family must have been dealt with by now. Dead men tell no tales. However, Your Majesty, everyone here knows that Princess Xiu colluded with Calais Yinghou to invade our border. Some generals even experienced it personally. I may not be able to tell the truth, but the group of barbarians must know. They will know whether this subject is telling the truth or not after a trial! "
This was almost directly saying that there was a problem with Yan Wang's bloodline. Li Feng slowly took a breath.
Fang Qin said in his heart, "Is this old thing Wang Bao crazy? He would rather sacrifice himself to drag me into the water! "
He immediately said loudly, "The barbarians are crafty and crafty. They can't wait for Daliang to never have a day of peace. How could Your Majesty believe their nonsense? But you, Imperial Brother-in-law, actually had an affair with the barbarians in private! "
Wang Bao also threw caution to the wind. He kowtowed loudly one after another, echoing the firecrackers in the streets of the capital. Presumably, just the momentum alone would be enough to make that beast unable to return.
"This subject's loyalty can be shown by heaven and earth, but the royal bloodline cannot be mixed up," Wang Bao said loudly, "This subject is suspicious and can't bear it for a moment. That's why I came up with this plan to let His Royal Highness Yan Wang enter the palace …"
"In order to seize evidence from the barbarians that His Royal Highness Yan Wang is not the former emperor's biological son? Fang Qin interrupted him, "So, Official Wang is still worried about the country! Your Majesty, could it be that His Royal Highness Yan Wang is a spy that the barbarians planted in the palace in order to mix up the royal bloodline? That Marquis of Stability, who was brought back from Yanhui Town by the former emperor's order, is also a fake prince? Why don't you summon Marshal Gu and General Shen and ask them what kind of intentions I have towards these two generals! "
Fang Qin seemed to have calculated it. Before he finished speaking, an eunuch came in from outside to report that the Marquis of Stability had arrived.
Li Feng's face was as calm as water, "Send him in."
Gu Yun happened to hear Fang Qin's words from outside the hall. When he came in, he didn't stand on ceremony. He knelt down and got straight to the point, "Your Majesty, this subject was ordered by the former emperor to look for His Royal Highness Yan Wang. His appearance, physical characteristics, age, and keepsakes were all reported to the former emperor. It was only after he approved that we brought him back. He was also personally recognized by the former emperor. Furthermore, this subject remembers that Your Majesty told this subject that His Royal Highness Yan Wang didn't have a good life when he was young. He was abused by his foster mother. It seems that the barbarian girl didn't treat him sincerely. She just couldn't bear to part with her biological sister's bloodline. Even a vicious tiger won't eat its cubs. If His Royal Highness Yan Wang really came from her womb, which mother in the world would treat her own flesh and blood like that? "
Gu Yun could slap a person in the face as soon as he opened his mouth. Fang Qin's mouth twitched as he smiled.
After Gu Yun finished speaking in one breath, he turned to Wang Bao and said, "This subject has one more thing to ask Official Wang. What benefits would it bring to me to confuse the royal bloodline? To put it bluntly, the Black Iron Battalion has been in the Northwest for so many years. If I really had anything to do with the barbarians, the Northwest Gate would have been broken down a hundred thousand times. On the other hand, Imperial Brother-in-law, you've been worrying about others for a while. Have you been cleared of the suspicion of colluding with the barbarian girl to harm a loyal subject more than twenty years ago? "
Wang Bao was really afraid of Gu Yun. His fear was mixed with a guilty conscience. He had a cowardly temperament. He was completely driven to desperation and risked his life to hold on. At this time, when he saw Gu Yun, he couldn't even speak properly, let alone act arrogantly. Cold sweat poured down like rain.
Gu Yun condescendingly said a few words to Wang Bao, as if he had exhausted all of his patience. He didn't look at him anymore and directly went forward and said, "Your Majesty, Bei Man has gone too far. This subject has been in the capital for more than half a year. Two fingers of rust have formed on my blade. There's really no need to hide my blade anymore. This subject requests to go to the northern border!"
On the way, Gu Yun repeatedly considered this matter. Bei Man's envoy was playing tricks at this time. In addition to the rumors that General Cai had inquired about, it was very likely that Calais Yinghou's own family had rebelled. He had to immediately go to the northern border to verify this matter. If Bei Man's political situation changed, it would be a good opportunity to take advantage of the situation. The northern border didn't have anything else, but it was very rich in purple gold ore. If they could really use war to support war, perhaps it wouldn't be a drain, but a boost.
However, Li Feng frowned. In his opinion, Gu Yun's request came too hastily. He was in a dilemma.
On the one hand, half of the country had fallen. For the nobles, 'moving the capital and retreating in a panic' and 'having a piece of land far away from the Emperor occupied by barbarians' were two different feelings. The latter didn't seem as urgent. After all, the bones of the deserted village that "wept into the dust" did not grow under their silks and satins. Now, the national treasury was slowly getting some real gold and silver. A large number of refugees had been settled down, and the days were a little more peaceful. Li Feng didn't really want to go to war at this time.
On the other hand, although Li Feng's ambition had been worn down recently, his temper was still there. If he found out that the barbarians were really here to humiliate him, he wouldn't be able to take it lying down.
He didn't immediately answer Gu Yun. He only waved his hand and said, "Imperial Uncle, please get up first. We can't be rash about mobilizing troops. We'll discuss it after the trial. Men, remove Wang Bao's official robes and temporarily detain him to await trial. Let the Supreme Court handle it … Also, arrest that wicked servant."
After he finished speaking, Li Feng didn't give Gu Yun a chance to speak. He immediately stood up and said, "Zhen will go and see Ah Min."
Yan Wang performed normally when dealing with Gu Yun. Chen Qingxu felt that this animal was fine. Just as she was about to leave, she happened to meet Li Feng coming in. She hurriedly bowed her head and saluted somewhat awkwardly.
Li Feng had seen her when his leg was broken. He said politely, "Divine Doctor Chen, thank you for your hard work. How is Yan Wang?"
Chen Qingxu casually made up a story, "The barbarians used a special kind of voodoo that can confuse the mind. Perhaps they wanted to kidnap His Highness to cover their escape. Fortunately, His Highness reacted in time and cut himself to release the voodoo. He's fine now."
Li Feng didn't understand much about other things. He just frowned slightly and said to Changgeng, seemingly intentionally or unintentionally, "What did you use to cut yourself? You're too ruthless to yourself. "
It sounded like he was concerned about Changgeng's injury, but he was actually asking him why he brought the knife.
Changgeng pretended to be "sickly and weak". He supported himself on the bed and slowly knelt down, "I was at Miss Chen's place when I received Imperial Brother's verbal order. I like to fiddle with those medicinal herbs in private. At that time, I was helping her organize the medicinal herbs in her hands. The palace servants urged me urgently, so I took out her small silver knife … It was also an expedient measure at that time."
As he spoke, he took a small knife that wasn't even as long as a finger from the tray next to him. It was simply a small toy used to cut medicinal herbs. It hadn't been sharpened and wasn't even as sharp as a table knife. It couldn't be considered a "sharp weapon" at all.
It could be seen that Yan Wang was really ruthless to himself at that time. When he cut himself, the knife was already rolled up beyond recognition.
Chen Qingxu sighed in his heart and slowly retreated. Only Li Feng and Changgeng were left in the room.
Li Feng couldn't help looking at Changgeng carefully. His appearance was very good, but he didn't have the appearance of a rich man.
He had a pair of deep eyes full of affection and infatuation, and a pair of thin lips that were heartless and fickle. He just bled, so his cheeks looked a little pale and slightly ill. Looking at it carefully, Yan Wang's eyebrows seemed to be a little bit like the Wild Concubine in the past. His straight nose was like the former Emperor's. However, when mixed together, he didn't look like anyone else. He looked like an unlucky man who had no relatives or friends.
Li Feng calmly moved his eyes away and said to Changgeng, "There are some rumors outside. You don't have to take it to heart. Take care of your injury. That old thing Wang Bao has become more and more arrogant these years. I will definitely let him give you an explanation."
When he said "don't take it to heart," Changgeng knew that Li Feng actually took it to heart. Thus, he took the initiative to say, "Are you suspecting that I don't have the blood of the former Emperor?"
Li Feng used Gu Yun's words and smiled as if nothing had happened. "You are thinking too much. Back then, the former Emperor personally recognized you. Who would dare to say anything?"
Changgeng thought about it and said, "No one can say for sure about this kind of thing. In this case, in order to avoid arousing suspicion, would the Emperor allow me to temporarily step down from the position of Commander of the Grand Council?"
Li Feng narrowed his eyes and didn't answer immediately.
Changgeng smiled bitterly and said, "The new policy has just been implemented. Even if I stay, I may not be able to make much of a contribution. I will only be able to attract hatred. Brother, please understand."
These words subtly poked Li Feng's heart.
The weight in the Emperor's hand was nothing more than the word "balance." A while ago, the Lu and Yang parties rebelled. The Imperial Guards rebelled, forcing him to personally suppress the old aristocratic families of Daliang. At the same time, the new nobles borrowed the power of the big merchants and rushed to the front stage with lightning speed. They were growing stronger and stronger.
Li Feng could tolerate the growth of the seedlings and was happy to see them compete with those arrogant aristocratic families. However, he didn't want the seedlings to grow into towering trees and break through the roof beams. This force was growing too quickly — — -
Even the Emperor's uncle couldn't stay out of it. This time it was Wang Bao. Who would it be next time? Could it be that the Emperor had to clean up all the princes in the court? When that time came, what would the world be called?
The new policy had to kill a way out. Under the drastic changes, there would always be sacrifices.
Li Feng glanced at Changgeng and said, "That's good. You have been suffering a lot recently. You should rest and recuperate."
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